What Prince-penned song became a number-one R&B hit for Chaka Khan in 1984?

The Prince-penned song that became a number-one R&B hit for Chaka Khan in 1984 was “I Feel for You.” Prince wrote and recorded the original version for his 1979 self-titled album, several years before Khan transformed it into a major hit.

Khan’s version was released in 1984 as the title track of her album I Feel for You. Its distinctive production combined funk and R&B with prominent synthesizers, a harmonica introduction by Stevie Wonder, and a rap by Melle Mel. The arrangement gave the song a much more contemporary, electronic sound than Prince’s earlier recording.

The single reached number one on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and became one of Khan’s signature performances. Prince won the 1985 Grammy for Best R&B Song as the writer, while Khan won the Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female. “Nothing Compares 2 U” is another famous Prince composition, but its best-known hit version came later through Sinéad O’Connor.